Pipe-stringer clamp



' F. BRANDT.

PIPE STRINGER- CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, I920.-

, Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

UNITED ATES PATENT OFFICE.

FOKKO BRANDT, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRANDT & KRELLENGINEERING COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF KANSAS.

Application filed iune zs,

To all whom it. may concern: Be it known that I, FoKKo BRANDT, a c1t1-zen of the Republic of Germany, and resi-- dent of'Kansas City, in thecounty of Wyan- 5 dotte and State of Kansas, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Pipe-Stringer Clamps, of which the followingis a complete specification.

The present invention relates to knock-.

lo down framework for scaffolding and the 'with a view to afi'ordinggreater convenience v 'in the handling and assembling or ,demountingstringers of this character in proper relation to the upright portion ofthe framework, as well as permitting all the required adjustments of thestringer with relatlon to the remainder of the scaifol'ding.

For this Purpose I have devised an improved bracket structure comprisingbracket elements appropriately shaped for embracing the stringenbetweenthem in clamped relation, and having a common means for ef- 36 fectingthe clamping together of said bracket elements and also securing thesame rigidly to one of the upright members of the framework and, inaddition, also allowing of suitable adjustment of the bracket structurevertically with reference to said upright member. 7

it is also sought to provide an improved bracket. structure of this typein whlch the means for securing the same to the vupright 40 member alsoaffords provision for allowin the outer bracket element to be loosened"from clamping position and yet be retained in pivoted relation to thebracket structure during the application or removal ofone of thestringer members.

A further object ofrthe invention is to provide a bracket ructure. ofthe type described in-which a prci'ecting finger is ineluded fortemporar' y supportin the stringer member and. having the e eet, of

r iding. and urgin the strin er member 'l nto the proper position forbei ngclamped PIPE-STRINGER CLAMP and claimed.

1920. seriaino. 392,385.

- between the bracket elements; in which connection the said finger isso arranged as to act as a stop for limiting the swinging movement ofthe outer bracket elements back into stringer member. a With thesegeneral objects in view, th invention will now be described by referenceto the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of construction forembodying the improvements, after which the novel features therein willbe particularly set forth position for engaging and clamping the In thedrawing: Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation illusiarating 'a portion ofa knock-down framework for a scaffold, and showing one of the pipestringers thereof secured to the upright members by means of bracketstructures embodying the present invention; and.

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged detail views showingia fragment of oneof-the upright members of the framework, Figure 2 shows ing afaceview-of one of the bracket structures, while Figure 3 shows a side viewof the same, the broken lines in the latter view representing the outerbracket element in pendent relation for allowing removal or insertion ofthestringer into position.

Referring now to the said drawing in detail, this illustrates theimproved stringer supporting structure in connection with a series of-upright members 4 of a scaffold, to which upright members a series ofpipe stringers 5 (only one of which is shown) are designed to besecurely connected by means of bracket structures allowing the .saidstringers to be mounted at various different elevations with reference,to the uprights 4;. In the present case, I construct the stringersecuring or attaching means of a pair of bracketelements comprising aninner bracket element 6 and an outer bracket element, 7, having theirintermediate portions suitably shaped, asby being formed with matingarcuate recesses 8, for receiving the stringer 5 in clamped relation.The inner bracket element 6 is also provided with a similar arcuaterecess extending vertically. from top ,to bottom of said element andadapted to afiord an extensive bearing face for embracing thecorresponding upright 4. "The bracket structure is adapted tobe securedto one of the uprights 4 by means of a U-bolt 10,arrange to embracethe-upright in a diagonal fashlon, as illus- 4 'trated in Figure 3, withthe legs of the U-v 5, the proportion of the parts being such as jecting outwardly to allow this clamping of the stringer 5 to take placewithout any engagement of the bracket element 7 with either of the innernuts 14. i I

One of the legs of'the U-bolt 10, preferably the leg occupying thelower'position, is made longer than the other for the purpose -ofpermitting unclamping or loosening of the outer-bracket element 7sufficiently to become disengaged from the upper leg of said bolt,thereby allowing the said bracket element 7 to swing around on the lowerleg of the bolt as a pivot and thus be retained connected relation tothe bracket structure during any operation of mounting. or

1 removing one of the stringer members 5.

This feature of the construction is clearly shown in Figure?) of thedrawing, the up, per leg ofthe bolt 10 being short enough to allowremoval of the outer nut 14 to permit disengagement of the upper lug oreye 12 of the element 7 from this portion of the bolt 10. The bracketelement 7 may then swing freely into the position represented by thebroken lines in Figure 3.

I also preferably rovide a finger 15 proom the lower middle portionofthe bracket element 6, and form the upper edge of this finger with aninclined supporting surface, the angle of this ncline being. upward inthe direction of the freeend of the finger 15 ;the purpose of thisfeature of the construction to provide a temporary supporting surfacefor the stringers 5 when they are being manipulated into or out ofposition within the bracket structure, and the inclination of thissupporting surface is suchas to prevent any ready disengagement of thestringer from the finger, and in the case of a cylindrical form ofstringer, such as that for which the present bracket structure isdesigned, the efect of this inclination is to rather urge the stringerinto position for facilitating the clamping operation of the elements 6and 7, as indicated by the broken lines in Figure in that it also limitsthe pivotal ortswingin movements of the outer bracket element when it isthrown back into operative position for engaging and clamping thestringer in place.

vised a simple and practical structure-for facilitating the operation ofassembling a framework of the knock-down character described andenabling this operation to be effected conveniently and rapidly by asingle workman, since the fingers 15 present a reliable means forengaging and holding the stringers as they are brought into the properrelation with the several bracket structures preparatory to securing theouter bracket element 7. The particular contour of the fingers 15 shownalso effectually guards against casual displacement of the'stringerwhich is constantly urged inward toward the bracket element 6, so thatthe stringer is not readily allowed to become dislodged and fall to theground. The difference in the relative length of the legs of the bolt 10further forms a very simple means for retaining the outer bracketelement 7 at all times in connected relation to the bracket structure sothat the said element 7 is always in position for use and requires onlyto be swungback about the lower leg of the bolt 10 as a pivot, whichpivotal movement of the element 7. is limited by the aforesaid finger Itwill thus be understood that I have de- 15, after which the parts aresecurely clamped by means of the outer nuts 14. The

whole device is readily and conveniently adjusted by loosening of theinner nuts 14, whereupon the bracket structure may be adjustedvertically as a whole into any desired elevation with reference to theupright member 4.

While I have shown and described what I now regard as the preferred formof construction, I desire to reserve i the, right to make such changesas may fairly fall within 1 the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with an upright, of a stringer, and a bracketstructure carried by said upright and supporting said stringer, saidbracket structure comprising a pair of bracket elements. one of saidelements being adapted to be clamped to said upright and 1 the secondelement being adapted to clamp said stringer against said first-namedelement, and'a U-bolt embracing said upright and securing said bracketelements together by separate engagement therewith at diagonallyopposite points above and below said stringer.

2. The combination with an upright, of a stringer, and a bracketstructure carried by said upright and supporting said stringer,

said bracket structure comprising bracket -elements adapted to embracesaid stringer. 3. This finger 15 has-an additlonal function betweenthem, and a .U-bolt embracing said upright and securing said bracketelements together by engagement therewith at diagonally opposite pointsabove and below said stringer, one of the legs of said U-bolt beinglonger than the other leg for pivotal y supporting the outer bracket.elements in pplying or removing the stringer.

3. The combination with an upright, of a stringer, and a bracketstructure carried by said upright and supporting said stringer, saidbracket structure comprising bracket.

elements adapted to embrace said stringer between them, and a U-boltembracing said upright and securing said bracket elements together byengagement therewith at diagonally opposite points above andbelow saidstringer, one of the legs of said U-bolt being longer than the other legfor pivotally sup-,

porting the outer bracket element in applying -or removing the stringer,the inner bracket element being provided with a stop finger limiting thesw nging movement of said outer bracket element back to stringerengagingposition, i

4:. The combination with an upright, of a.

stringer, and abracket structureflcarried by said" uprightand'supporting said stringer, said bracket structure comprising bracketelements having their intermediate porposed between the same'and thestringer,

means for clamping said bracket to said upright, a pivoted clampingmember for the stringer, and means for clampingthe pivoted memberagainst the stringer and the latter against the bracket. i 1

g In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

'FoKKo BRANDT.

; tions recessed for accomodating the stringer

